Ross County produced a smash-and-grab 1-0 victory over Livingston to win for the first time in seven matches.

After their five-goal mauling from Motherwell in midweek, Owura Edwards popped up with the winner and the perfect response with 16 minutes remaining.

It was a first goal in four games for the Staggies and a first victory at Livingston in over a decade to register just a second league win of the campaign.

How Ross County snatched victory

With a crowd of 3,696 boosted by the distribution of free tickets to local schools and clubs, it was a missed opportunity for the home side, who dominated from start to finish but could not find the breakthrough as they slumped to a fifth defeat from their last seven outings.

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Even before the match the hosts had problems with one crossbar appearing to be the wrong height so manager David Martindale helped out trying to fix it.

Livi started on top and with 14 minutes gone passed up a gilt-edged opportunity to make the breakthrough. Dylan Bahamboula's trickery on the left earned space for Cristian Montano to fire a low ball across the goal, but Kurtis Guthrie somehow screwed his shot wide of the target from inside the six-yard box.

Livi continued to press and only a desperate last-ditch foul on Joel Nouble prevented the striker from bearing down on goal. County skipper Keith Watson earned a booking for the challenge but the Lions wanted a red card. Moments later Jason Holt was brought down on the edge of the box and this time Sean Kelly curled over the bar.

In between, Scott Pittman produced an inch-perfect challenge on Edwards as the County winger threatened to break free in a rare attack from the visitors.

Edwards did finally get County's first shot at goal four minutes from the break but the on-loan Bristol City youngster was well off target with his left-footed effort.

Livi finished the half in command but the hard-pressed County defence snuffed out an opportunity in the 44th minute when Bahamboula wormed his way to the edge of the six-yard box and could not pick out the waiting Guthrie.

Bahamboula was again involved in first-half injury-time but his shot was blocked and then Nouble fired high and wide from a tight angle.

The second half began as the first had ended, with Livi firmly on top. In the 54th minute, a set-piece straight from the training ground saw Nouble help on Sean Kelly's free-kick to Scott Pittman but Ross Laidlaw diverted the midfielder's shot past the post with his outstretched foot.

County substitute Jordy Hiwula briefly stemmed the flow with a shot over on the break, but Livi then passed up another golden chance for the opener in the 68th minute.

Kelly's in-swinging corner was flicked on by Guthrie but Obileye twice failed to bundle the ball beyond the defiant Laidlaw from two yards out before County scrambled clear.

Then the Highlanders snatched a surprising breakthrough and the three points with 16 minutes left. Kelly's weak header gifted possession to Hiwula who smashed a shot off the underside of the bar. Edwards was first to the rebound to coolly find the unguarded net.

Livi piled men forward in search of the equaliser but their desperate attempts failed to pay off as Obileye's deflected shot was beaten away by Laidlaw.

What the managers said...

Ross County manager Malky Mackay: "I really enjoyed the nature of the win. I always knew it was going to be difficult coming down here. We hadn't won here in a decade so I'm delighted to put a marker down as far as that is concerned.

"Davie [Martindale, Livingston manager] sets his teams out really well and I don't think anyone comes here and gets an easy game. They have three really big, physical but talented strikers. They get it up to them early so we knew we were going to have to defend our box well.

"In the first half, we hung in there, and at half-time we tweaked a couple of things. In the second half we dealt with that really well. We were on the front foot, which allowed us to get on to second balls, break on them, and cause some issues.

"I'm delighted for the players, especially after Tuesday night where character was at times questioned. I have a group here that I know are as good as anything in the Premiership - in our little section, for want of a better word. We can compete with anyone and we showed that today."

Livingston boss David Martindale: "I know why we didn't take anything from it. One moment of schoolboy defending. First contact, we don't do enough with it, then we're not on the second contact. That's why we lose the game.

"When you have so much of the ball it can sometimes be a problem, you switch off. We dominated large spells of the game. Shots, corners, everything. But if you don't defend properly you're not going to win.

"It's not good enough. Possession is a stat, a nice stat but it doesn't win you games of football if you don't defend your box properly and don't take your chances at the other end.

"It's not a great combination for picking points up and that's where we've found ourselves in the last two games. The chances we created were half decent. But Kurtis (Guthrie) should score, Ayo (Obileye) and (Scott) Pittman had chances.

"We got in behind them on numerous occasions but [it was] that final ball. But we've got to have a long hard look at ourselves. Whatever way you sugar-coat it we've thrown away points."

What's next?

Livingston host St Johnstone in their next Scottish Premiership match on October 15.

Ross County take on Dundee United on the same day. Both games kick-off at 3pm.

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